crowell



(No Model.) l 4Sheets-Sheet 1.

- L. C. GROWELL.

TYMPAN MEGH-ANISM POR PRINTING MACHINES. No. 582,900. Patented May 18,1897.

il l N" (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. C. GROWELL.

TYMPAN MEGHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

Patented May 18,1897.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

L. C. GROWELL. TYMIAN MEGIIANISM ION PRINTING MACHINES.

Patented May 18,1897.

(N Mo'del.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L0. GROWELL. Y

TYMPAN MEOHANISM PoR PRiLNTING MACHINES. No. 582,900. Patented May 18, 1897.

ma Novus PETERS co., momurno wumman, u. c

NTTnD STATES ATnNT frrrcn,

LUTHER O. OROlVELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT HOE, THEODORE H. MEAD, AND CHARLES TY. CARPENTER, OF NEY YORK, N. Y.

TYIVIPAN MECHANISIVl FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

SFECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,900, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed March l1 1395' vcity of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tyrnpan Mechanisms 'for Printing-lllachines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to printing-machines of that class in which the im pression-cylinder is provided with a tympan or offset in the form of a long sheet or web (hereinafter called the tympan?) that-is capable of being wound from one roller to another within the cylinderand with means for moving the tympan so operated that while the printingmachine is in operation and it is required to present a clean portion of the tympan the same may be moved over or shifted upon that part of the cylinder called its impressionsurface]7 being that portion of it which is opposed during the printing operation to the formv or printing-surface carried by a typebed or a printing-cylinder.

The invention consists in novel means for operating the delivering as well as the receiving rollers which carry the tympan and for controlling the shifting movement ofthe tympan governing the extent of tympan moved at each shifting operation and determining the time of each shifting operation, all of which is fully hereinafter described and claimed.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l represents an elevation of one end of the impression-cylinder of a printing mechanism equipped with these improvements. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same, the central portion of the body of the cylinder being cut away for convenience of the illustration. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged elevation of one end of said cylinder, t-he view being taken on the section-line 3 of Fig. 2 and seen in the direction pointed by the arrows connected with said line. Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional elevation ot' the Serial No. 541,275. (No model.)

anisrns which are fast to the side frame at that end of the cylinder,the view being taken on the sectional line 5 in Fig. S and seen in the direction pointed by the arrows connected with that line. Fig. 6 represents avertical sectional elevation taken on the section-line 6 of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively partial elevations of one end of the cylinder, showing the operations of withdrawing the friction driving-wheel from its actuating friction-rim and returning the same into operative contact; and Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the tripping operation which sets into action the controlling devices in regulating the time when and extent to which the tympan is shifted.

Although the drawings represent only an impression-cylinder equipped with a long tympan and the mechanisms for supporting and shifting the same, it is to be understood that such an impression-cylinder may roll in contact with another cylinder or a flat bed,

as the type or form carrying device, and will trated this impression-surface is the cylindershell, extending from the gripper-point to about an opposite point, over which is stretched a printing-blanket 52, as is common, and no cylinder-shell is present in the other direction, being omitted to permit ready IOO access to the parts. Although, as here shown, one impression-surface is of an extent equal t-o about one-half the circumferential extent of the cylinder, there may be two or more such i1npression-surfaces and a corresponding duplication of tympans and their operating mechanisms.

The tympan Q0, in the form of a long web tightly wound upon a delivering or let-off roller2l,(see Fig. 0,) is led therefrom,stretched snugly over said im pression-surface 22 in contact with the blanket 52 thereon, and thence is carried to and wound upon the receiving or wind-up roller 2S, which is spring-driven, as will appear.

Both the delivery-roller 2l and the receiving or wind-up roller 93 are mounted to turn in bearings in the cylinder-heads, so constructed as to admit of the removal and replacing of such rollers when it is required to exchange a full roller for a naked one, and vice versa.

The delivering or let-off roller 2l. is mounted upon a shaft ll, so that it may revolve freely in its bearings, but the unwinding or paying- Out movements of the rolled tympan-web carried by it, whereby the shifting movements of the tympan are effected, are controlled by a spring-pressed frictionally-acting roller 2l, hereinafter called the controlling-roller,7 that bears upon the periphery of the roll of tympan 2O wound upon said delivering-roller 2l, the shaft l0 of said roller 2l being mounted in rock-arms l5 26, that extend from a roel;- shaft 27.I This shaft 27 carries outside of one cylinder-head a rook-arm 2S, (sce Fig. 2,) the free end of which is connected with a springrod 2t), that is guided in eyes fixed to the cylinder-head, and the pressure of whose actuating-spring is such as to constantly press the controlling-roller 2lin frictional contact with the surface of the roll of tympan 2O wound upon the delivering-roller El during all of its varying diameters as its size is reduced by the operations of shifting portions of it overihe impression-surface. 'lhemovcments of this controlling-roller 2l thus determine those of the tympan.

One end of the shaft l5 of the spring-aetnated receiving` or wind-up roller carries, fast upon its end outside ofthe cylinder-head, a pinion 30, that is engaged by a whecl 3 fixed upon a sleeve 32, journaled in the cylinder-head and embracing a spring-actuated shaft 3, which has one bearing in this sleeve 32 and the other in the opposite cylinder-head. (See Fig. 2.) This shaft 3 extends through the sleeve 32, and its outer end carries a wheel 33, which is engaged by a wheel 3l, that is journaled on a stud carried by a rock-arm (l, that swings freely on the shaft 3. 'lhe stud of wheel 3l is extended outwardly to carry a grooved driving-wheel 35, arranged to be actuated by frictional contact with an internally-grooved driving-ring 3U, that is fixedly supported by the side frame, (see Fig. l,) said driving-wheel 35 being held to duty or in frictional contact with the driving-ring 3G by means of a spring-rod 37, pivoted to the rockarm (5 and guided in eyes attached to the cylinder-head. On its opposite end this shaft 3 has fast to it a ratchet-wheel 4, (see Fig. 2,) that is engaged by a ratchet 5, pivoted to the cylinder-head, and this shaft 35 is encircled by a spiral spring ll, that is fast at one end to said shaft and at the other to the sleeve 32.

)Vhcn the impression-cylinder revolves in the direction of its arrow, Fig. 3, the friction d riving-whcel 35, constantly pressed into surface contact with the dri ving-ring .36, willbe rotated in a contrary direction, as will the wheel IJ-l, which carries it, while the wheel 33 will turn in the same direction as the cylinder moves, carrying with it the shaft 3, and thus winding the spring ll,a contrary movement of the shaft 3 being prevented by the ratchet 5 and ratchet-wheel 4. The resilient power of this spring ll, thus constantly maintained, is exerted in a contrary direction to revolve the sleeve $32 and the intermediate 3l carried bythe sleeve, and through thepinion 30 to rotate the receiving or wind-up roller 23 and thus wind up the tympan 2O thereon.

The time when and the extent to which the receivi 11g-roller 23 may be rotated, by the propelling-power of the spring ll, to wind up the tympan thereon and thus shift it on the impression-surface are regulated by a governing mechanism and a tripping device to determine the time of thc action thereof, and in order that the receiving or wind-up roller 23 may be freely rotated by the propelling power. of the spring ll when the time for that operation is approaching or has arrived it is necessary that the friction mechanism for winding up the said spring shall be disconnected, and the means for accomplishing this will first be described and Ithen the controlling mechanism be explained.

As before stated, the frictionally-driven wheel is maintained in contact with the frictional driving-ring 3U by means of the spring-pressing rod 37, which rod is attached to the arm (5, that carries the stud on which the wheels 3l 35 are mounted, but as a single revolution of the impression-eylinder causes a winding action of the wheel sufficient to wind up the spring ll to a degree adequate for causingthe shifting of thetympan through the sleeve 32, wheel 231, and pinion 30, andas such shifting may not be performed at each such revolution of the cylinder, it is requisite that the winding-up operation of the spring may be suspended after cach such revolution and not be again accomplished until a shiftingof the tympan has taken place,or the power of the spring again requires augmentation by such winding action. 'lo regulate or accomplish this, there is pivoted to the cylinderhead a rocking toe S, arranged to engage the end of the roch-arm (l, (see Fig. 7,) and the sleeve carrying the toe S is provided with rock-arms 1 J, projecting in opposite direetions, one, 7, shaped. and located to be en- IIO gaged by astud 12, fixedly projecting from the side frame, (see Fig. 4,) and thus carry the toe 8 into engagement with the rock-arm G, and the other, 9, shaped and located to be engaged by a bolt 13 when the same is projected into the plane of its travel, and thus cause the toe S to be rocked out of engagement with the rock-arm-G. Hence before the operation of shifting the tympan is performed the winding-shaft 3 for the spring 11 will be relieved from the driving action of the wheel by reason of the latter having been moved out of contact with the driving-ring 36.

When the receiving-roller 23 has been rotated to wind up the tympan and thus shift it over the impression-surface, the rock-arm 9 meets the bolt 13, which has been moved inward so as to project from the s'ide frame (see Figs. 1 and 3) and rocks the toe S in the other direction to release the rock-arm 6 and allow spring-rod 37 to resume its function of forcing the wheel 35 into frictional contact with the driving-rin g 3G.

\For controlling the shifting movements of the tympan, which are madeby the drawing action of the spring-actuated receiving or wind-up roller 23, the frictionally-pressed controlling-roller 24 is provided. This roller 24 rides upon the surface of the rolled tympan-web carried by the delivering or let-off roller 2l, and the extent of each rotation of the controlling-roller 24 at each shifting operation, and hence the length of tympan moved over the impression-surface at each shifting operation, is regulated bya governing mechanism, while the time of each shifting operation with respect to the repeated revolutions of the impression-cylinder is determined by a tripping device. This controlling-roller 24 has its shaft 10 turning freely in rock-arms 25 26, that extend from the shaft 27, which shaft 10 projects through and plays in a curved opening in the cylinder-head and carries fast on its en d a pinion 40. This pinion meshes with a wheel 4l,

turning freely on the end of shaft 27, to the outer face of which wheel is secured a governing-disk 42, that is provided with a locking-pocket 2, (see Fig. 9,) in which the stud 1 of a locking-lever 43 at times engages. This locking-lever 43 rocks on a stud iixed to the .cylinder-head and is provided with a springrod 44, that is guided in eyes fixed to the cylinder-head and which operates to constantly so press the locking-leveras to move its stud 1 toward its lookin g position, so that said stud may engage the pocket 2, thus locking the controlling-roller 24 and the delivering-roller 21 stationary, or when its stud 1 is tripped out of the pocket 2 cause said stud to ride the periphery of the governing-disk 42 until as the disk revolves the stud reengages said pocket.

The locking-lever 43 of the governing mechanism is provided with a tailpiece or operating end of such shape and length that it will 'sweep ina pathway into which a tripping-bolt 45 may be'projected, and when in its rotative travel the end of this locking-lever contacts with said tripping-bolt 45 the lever will be swung inwardly, and thus will raise its stud 1 out of the pocket 2. This tripping-bolt 45 is mounted to reciprocate in guides fixed to the framework, being moved inwardly to intei-cept the lever 43 and trip the governingdisk 42, as just explained, and then withdrawn out of the pathway of said lever by mechanism which will now be explained, and which mechanism also-slides the bolt 13 in and out of the pathway of the arm 9 at appropriate times. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

The bolt 45 slides in a bracket 46 and has its operating-lever 47, pivoted in a bracket 43, fast to the side frame, said lever having its outer end 'bifureated to embrace a collar on the bolt and its inner end shaped to play in a groove in the cam 49. The bolt 13 is guided in a way cut through the'lside frame and has its operating-lever 14 pivoted in a bracket 15, fast to the side frame, said lever having its outer end bifurcated to embrace a collar on the bolt and its inner end shaped to play in another groove in the cam 49 This cam 49 is suitably mounted upon a shaft that is provided with a wheel 57, driven by a train consisting of a pinion 58 and wheels 59 60 from any suitable source, (as the printing-machine,) whereby the timely projection and withdrawal of the bolts 45 and 13 are accomplished.

It will now be apparent that, so long as the governing-disk 42 is locked or held stationary by the stud 1 of the lever 43 remaining seated in the pocket 2 of said disk, the sliding bolt 45 being withdrawn and held out of the pathway of the operating end of the lever 43, the controlling-roller 24, resting upon the rolled web wound upon the delivering-roller 21, will, in consequence of the power exerted by the spring-rod 29, exert sufficient peripheral pressure therein to act as a brake-roller, and thus prevent any unwinding movement o f said delivering-roller 21, and that the latter will, through the tympan itself, prevent thereeeiving-roller 23 from rotating to wind up and thus move or shift the tympan, and hence resist any movement of the pinion 30, wheel 31,. and sleeve 32 which otherwise would be caused by the resilient power of the sping 11, while the tendency of the spring to so move these parts will cause the tympan to be held taut or under sufficient tension to lie smoothly over the impression-surface. It will also be apparent that as the stud 12 is stationary it must operate at each revolution of the cylinder to depress the cam-lever 7, throw the toe 8, and withdrawpthe drivingwheel 35 from the driving-wheel 3G, but itis to be observed that one revolution of the cylinder with these parts in driving cont-act is sufficient to restore the power of the spring 11, and that when the mechanisms are tripped and this spring becomes unwound the bolt 13 when protruded into the pathway of the ICO IIO

rock-arm f) operates to return the drivingwheel 35 into frictional driving contact with the driving-ring 36 to rewind said spring, and hence that the tympan may be shifted at each revolution or at'ter any predetermined number have been made.

Vith the parts constructed and arranged for periodic action, as shown and explained, the operation will be as follows: Normally the tympan or offset web will be stretched taut from the delivering or let-off roller 21 to the receiving or wind-up roller 23, and intermediately it will be laid smoothly upon the impression-surface. The spring 11 will have been wound up by the action of the friction driving-ring 3G and friction drivin g-whecl 35, the friction-wheel 35 will have been thrown out of action, and shifting movement of said tympan will be prevented by the controllingroller 2t, acting as a brake upon the rolled web 20, wound upon the delivering or let-off roller 21. lVhen, therefore, the time has nearly arrived for shifting the tympan, the cam 49 will have so far revolved as to have projected the bolts 45 13 into the pathway of the lever 13 and rock-arm t), respectively. \Vhen the lever -13 contacts with the bolt 15, (which will be after the impression-surface has passed out of contact with the printingform,) said lever will be depressed and raise thc stud 1 out of the pocket 2 of the governing-disk 12, whereupon said disk, the wheel 4l, pinion 40, and controlling-roller 2l will be free to rotate, thus allowing the receiving or wind-up roller 23 to be rotated by the propelling power of its actuating-spring 1l, said delivering-roller 23 thus drawing the tympan from ott' the roller 21 and winding it upon itself, the power of the spring 11 accomplishing this operation through the sleeve 32, wheel 31, and pinion 30, in which action the pawl 5 holds on the ratchet-wheel at. In this movement of the delivering-roller l the rotative governing-disk 42 bears the stud l upon its periphery, and when said disk has made one rotation the stud 1 drops into the pocket 2, suspends rotative movement of the governing-disk and, through the controlling-roller 2l, acting as a brake, that of the deliveringroller, and of cou rse stops the unwinding and consequent shifting movement of the tympan. The length of this shifting movement of the tympan is determined by the extent to which the controlling-roller 2l is permitted to revolve, for the reason that it is always in frictional surface contact with the periphery of the wound-up roll of tympan-web, no matter to what size said roll is diminished, and the extent of rotation of the controlling-roller 2t, which thus becomes a measuring device, is governed by the peripheral extent of the disk 42 (which is of the same size as roller 2t) that is traveled over by the stud l before it arrests the movement of the disk -Lt2. The tympan, as it is thus moved to carry a soiled portion onward and present a clean portion on the impression-surface of the cylinder, will be speedily transferred, (while the impression is ol`t,) under suitable tension caused by the drawing action of the spring-propelled reeeivin g or wind-u p roller 23, and will not only be laid smoothly on the impression-surface, but be so stretched by the pull of the actuating-spring moving the roller 23, resisted by the spring-pressed controlling-roller 2i, as to remain taut, said roller 2l thus acting while moving as a measuring and tension device and when stationary as a brake, holding the tympan and its shifting devices against movement when the governing-disk 42 is locked by the stud l.

On the revolution of the cylinder succeeding that upon which the tympan was shifted the bolt 13 will be in position to intercept the rock-arm 9,which in passing it will be rocked to allow the friction-roller 35 to contact with the friction-ring 3G and thus insure the spring 1 1 being rewound, and as the stud l2 is reached this roller will be thrown out of action and so remain until the tripping is again effected. This governing-disk is, as shown, of such a size that one revolution of it shall be the measure of the extent of the movement of the tyinpan, which may be equal to or less than the circumferential extent of the impression-surface, and if it is desired that this movement shall be one-half, one-quarter, or any other proportional extent the same may be accomplished by suitably increasing the number of the pockets 2 in the disk or by providing disks of suitably smaller size having but one pocket, and if it is desired that this movement shall be greater than such extent of the impressionsurface the governing-disk may be increased in extent accordingly.

It will be observed that the sliding bolt 13, which throws the friction-roller 35 into action or into contact with the friction-ring 3G, is so related to the stud l2, which throws the same out of action, that the extent of the contact of the roller 35 with the ring 3G, during which is effected the operation of winding up the spring 11, is limited to less than one-half of the circumferential extent of the friction-rin g 36, and this is practically sufticient, owing to the fact that by providing both the roller 35 and ring 3G with parallel grooves or intermeshing continuous longitudinal teeth the frictional bearing between the two is so cX- tended as to insure rotative movement being imparted from the ring to the roller as positively as with gearing which cannot be disengaged and reengaged with any certainty at frequently-receiving periods without danger of missing, breaking teeth, and generally defectively coaeting.

1. The combination with an impressioncylinder and delivering and receiving rollers journaled within the same for stretching a tympan from one to the othcrand intermediately over the impression-surface of said cylinder, a spring-actuated drivin g-shaft geared with the receiving-roller to rotate it and with IOC a winding-wheel which rotates it to rewind the spring, of a stationary driving-surface with which said winding-wheel engages and is rotated, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an impressioncylinder and delivering and receiving rollers journaled within the same for stretching a v tympan from one to the other and intermediately over the impression-surface of said cylinder, a spring-actuated driving-shaft geared with the receiving-roller to rotate it and with a winding-wheel which rotates it to rewind the spring, of a stationary driving-surface with which said winding-wheel engages and is rotated, and means for separating the winding-wheel and its driving-surface, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an impressioncylinder and delivering and receiving rollers journaled within the same for stretching a tylnpan from one to the other and intermediately over the impression-surface of said cylinder, a spring-actuated driving-shaft geared with the receiving-roller to rotate it and with a winding-wheel which rotates it to rewind the spring, of a stationary driving-surface with which said winding-wheel engages and is rotated, means for separating the windingwheel and its driving-surface, a rocking toe S for moving the arm 6 carrying the windingwheel 35 out of engagement with its driver, and a rock-arm 12 for actuating said toe, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an impressioncylinder and delivering and receiving rollers journaled within the same for stretching a tympan from one to the other and intermediately over the impression-surface of said cylinder, a spring-actuated driving-shaft geared with the receiving-roller to rotate it and with a winding-Wheel which rotates it to rewind the spring, of a stationary driving-surface with which said winding-wheel engages and is rotated, means for separating the windingwheel and its driving-surface, a rocking toe 8 for moving the arm 6 carrying the winding- Wheel 35 out of engagement with its driver, a rock-arm 12 for actuating said toe, and a bolt 13 for releasing the toe from said lever, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an impressioncylinder and the tympan-rollers 21, 23 it carries, of the spring-actuated driving-shaft for the roller 23, a sleeve on said shaft connected tothe spring and geared with the roller 23, a detent for the shaft and gearing connecting said shaft with a stationary driving-ring for winding up the spring, substantially as described.

6. The combination with an impressioncylinder and the tympan-rollers 21, 23 it carries, of the spring-actuated driving-shaft for the roller 23, a sleeve on said shaft connected to the spring and geared with the roller 23, a detent for the shaft, gearing connecting said shaft with a stationary driving-ring for winding up the spring, a frictionally-acting brakeroller 24, gearing connecting its shaft with a governing-disk 42, and a detent-lever 43 controlling the rotation of said disk, substantially as described.

7. |The combination with an impressioncylinder and the tympan-rollers 2l, 23 it carries, of the spring-actuated driving-shaft for the roller 23, a sleeve on said shaft connected to the spring and geared with the roller 23, a detent for the shaft, gearing connecting said shaft with a stationary driving-ring for Winding up the spring, a frictionally-acting brakeroller 24, gearing connecting its shaft with a governing-disk 42, a detent-lever 43 controlling the rotation of said disk, and a sliding bolt 45 for tripping the lever 43, substantially as described. l

S. In a tympan-shifting mechanism connected with an' impression-cylinder and periodically shifted by a spring-actuated winding-up roller, the combination with gearing operating to wind up said spring, of a drivingroller and driving-ring therefor, each provided with concentric teeth or ribs to insure a suiiicient driving frictional contact between them, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUTHER C. CROWELL.

Witnesses:

J. J. KENNARD, A. L. KENT. 

